8587. Sodium Bisulfide

Nomenclature

CAS number: 16721-80-5
Sodium sulfhydrate; sodium hydrosulfide; sodium hydrogen sulfide.
HNaS; mol wt 56.06.
H 1.80%, Na 41.01%, S 57.20%.
NaSH.

Description and references

Prepd from sodium ethylate and hydrogen sulfide: Rule, J. Chem. Soc. 99, 558 (1911); Teichert, Klemm, Z. Anorg. Allg. Chem. 243, 86 (1939); Eibeck, Inorg. Synth. 7, 128 (1963). The technical grade may be obtained by reacting sodium bisulfate with calcium sulfide in the cold or by saturating NaOH solns with H2S.

Properties

Rhombohedric-cubic crystals. White to colorless. Odor of hydrogen sulfide. Very hygroscopic. Readily hydrolyzed in moist air to NaOH and Na2S. d 1.79. Turns yellow upon heating in dry air, changing to orange at higher temps. mp 350° forming a black liquid. Sol in water, alcohol, ether. Gives a blue-green soln in dimethylformamide.

Derivative

Dihydrate.

Properties

Needles or flakes, mp 55°. Completely and rapidly sol in water, alcohol, ether. Note: The commercial product is usually the dihydrate. Can be shipped in lacquer-lined steel drums.

Derivative

Trihydrate.

Properties

Shiny rhombs, mp 22°.

Use

Dehairing hides; desulfurizing viscose rayon; in the manuf of sulfur-contg dyes and other thio compds such as thioamides, thiourea, thioglycolic acid, thio- and dithiobenzoic acids, sodium thiosulfate.